Home Outdoor Antenna: SHDK1 "Antenna Not Detected"

Alright, so here's the issue. We open the box and connect to a Sportster SP5 and it works the first time with no issues. The next day we have all the cables connected in the house and we try once again to make sure that the SP5 is getting signal and it comes back with "Antenna Not Detected". We all know that it means that it's not connected through the wires. So we think it's something in the house, check each cable with the antenna to see if we can get the SP5 to see the signal. Nothing. So we then setup the exact set of cables night before and guess what "Antenna not detected" So did we short something in the antenna by testing it? Also, this is the 2nd antenna we've tried this on. Are outdoor antennas faulty to begin with? Audiovox sent us one while it was in the window of the warranty, but they don't really answer any questions. Can't find any real information reguarding the home antenna on sirius website. Let me know if anyone has any ideas. Thanks.

Hey Caps, it's matt with TSS Radio! I believe you and I spoke on the phone the other day and found out your problem. I will just post the issue and the resolve here so others will know what to look for if they have this same problem.

What we did was try and determine if it was the antenna or small SMB to F adapter that came in the kit. To do this you just simply unscrew your RG6 from the antenna and while the sirius radio is on, take a small knife for screwdriver and touch the copper wire in the middle of the RG6. Make sure you are only touching the wire and not the outter ring. Doing so will not make the test valid. Once you touch only the copper wire your radio may say one of two things:

1. Antenna Not Detected
-or-
2. Acquiring Signal

If it says acquiring signal then you know the line running from the antenna to the radio with the SMB to F adapter on it is good, but your antenna is bad. If it say antenna not detected, then that line is bad and needs to be replaced.

In his case, the line was good so we determined that the antenna is bad. Turns out he was making his own RG6 cables and left the inner copper wire too long and it punctured the antenna. This may have damaged it, causing it to work only the first time, but then never any time after that.